Lucky River Restaurant is my "New Lim's Garden" in SF

A couple blocks down from my place is a corner Chinese restaurant called Lucky River, it's a small, hidden gem in this area, and you'll come out of their feeling beyond satisfied...and for me, I'm always going to take advantage of my walks to and from the place.

They have a really good prefix menu for a minimum party of 2 people. My sister and I had the #2, which is $8.95 per person and gives you all this:

Fried Wontons

 

Hot and Sour Soup

Almond Chicken

 Sweet and Sour Pork

Yung Chow Fried Rice

Above all, the fried rice was the best. There's nothing like a hot-off-the-press plate of Yang Chow fried rice that really pulls together this combination of dishes. The almond chicken isn't normally something I'd order but it was a good balance against my all-time favorite dish, sweet and sour pork. The hot and sour soup was a perfect start, especially given the chilly night. 

They also have roast duck (Quarter: $6.95// Half $8.95) hanging in the window -- something I'll definitely have to try next!

Location: 
700 Monterey Boulevard, San Francisco, 94112
Open Daily from 11am to 9:30pm 
Free Delivery (415) 587-1826 
To-Go and Pickup (415) 587-1819

A Concord Treasure: New Lim's Garden Seafood Restaurant

Concord surprisingly has a pretty damn good Chinese Restaurant. It should consider itself lucky. New Lim's Garden Seafood Restaurant has been around for longer than I've been living in the area, so that's more than 15 years. My family and I have been ordering out from this place for the longest time, and it's because we consider it to be one of the best Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area -- comparable to those you can find closer to the city. 

My closest friends in the Concord area value this restaurant as much as I do. 

There's nothing like cheap, good, authentic Chinese food. What's not to love ?


Here's a few of my favorites/usuals: 

For a family of 4, one order of the Yang Chow Fried Rice ($6.25) will suffice. Not only is it incredibly authentic, it's heartily packed with shrimp, peas, egg, Chinese sausage, and carrots. 

Their Peking Pork Chop ($7.25) is crisped and slathered to perfection. Pork, light breading, and sweet and sour sauce is quite an addictive combination. 

The Chinese Broccoli with Beef ($6.75) is a sautéed melange of kai-lan (Chinese broccoli), beef, and carrots lightly doused in black bean sauce. The best part of this dish is the kai-lan, because its texture and flavor pair so well with the sauce. 

You can get two Deep-Fried Flounders for $8.95. Topped with scallions and served with a sweet soy sauce, it's lightly breaded and perfectly fried. I pick this fish like crazy to the bone.









It's amazing how much food you can get for just a little under $30. Their menu is full of Chinese classics and is bound to have your favorite dish. 


Also notable is their lunch special that costs $5.50-$6.50 per person and is held form 11:00am-12:30pm. You can get a selected choice of vegetables, beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, or fish with soup, fried wonton, steamed rice, or fried rice. 


So the next time you're in Concord (for whatever reason), and have a Chinese food craving, this is definitely the place to be. 


Location: 4340 Clayton Road, Concord
Monday-Thursday: 11:00am-9:30pm
Friday-Saturday: 11:00am-10:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am-9:30pm

Fiery Innovation at Mission Chinese Food

"Pop-up restaurant." This is precisely what Mission Chinese Food has come to be defined by its initial conception. In my own words, I would describe it as a frame narrative. A restaurant within a restaurant. This year it was voted 2nd as one of America's Best New Restaurants in Bon Appétit.

It all started with the food truck Mission Street Food, which was run by San Francisco couple Anthony Mynit and Karen Leibowitz. They initially used Lung Shan Chinese Restaurant on Thursdays and Saturdays to sell their duck confit tacos and foie gras sundaes, and as of last June, their progressive talents took over the establishment and its cuisine. Their friend and chef of Mission Chinese Food is Danny Bowien, a long-haired bespectacled fellow who is Korean-born but American-raised. He's definitely in his late 20s or early 30s, and exudes an alternative somewhat hipster-like style. As is most of their clientele's demographic but for you anti-hipsters out there, don't lose faith in what this place has to offer just yet. Fall in line, because well, you're going to have to.


The restaurant's interior exudes remnants of its dingy former establishment, but is vibrantly and eclectically decorated. So is the scent upon walking in. The waft of Szechuan spices can either sprinkle the room with anticipation or apprehension. There is a dragon costume/chandelier sprawled along the ceiling, which charms up the place. The elder staff from the Lung Shan Chinese still mill about, hand you your menus and drink orders, whereas the younger and vibrant waitstaff serve the main dishes. It's good to know there seems to be no hard feelings. 

Let's discuss the food now, shall we?

Salt Cod Fried Rice (pictured left, $10) consists of escolar confit, chinese sausage, egg, and scallion. It's a tasty twist to Yang Chow Fried Rice, with a complementary salty fishy aspect. Next to it is the (partially devoured, I apologize, but for good reason) Cold Dan Dan Noodles ($8), something I'd describe as "icy-hot," given its spicy bite. It has sesame, pine nut, cucumber, and snap pea.

The Open Faced "'Chinese' BBQ" Sandwich ($12) is a hearty, succulent compilation of smoked beef brisket, pork trotter, and hot link that is served with pickles, white bread, and smoked cola BBQ sauce. A knife is stabbed through the heart of it. In other words, they've already given you the first step in savoring this delight. 




Proceed with caution with the Ma Po Tofu ($11), given its ingredients: bean curd, ground kurobuta pork shoulder, Szechuan peppercorn, chili oil, and steamed rice. I have a pretty high tolerance for spicy food, but it's another story -- and quite a tragic one at that -- when you really want to keep eating but you can't help but hold back the tears brought on by this dish's delectable heat. 

Kung Pao Chicken may as well retire. This fiery spin on the classic, Kung Pao Pastrami ($11), consists of chili, celery, potato, and roasted peanut. I found this to be a genius rendition, and again fought a wonderful fire in my mouth to savor this dish. But you'll come to find that this is a rewarding aspect of Szechuan cuisine, especially if you make something of it new. 


I absolutely loved the Thrice Cooked Bacon ($10.50). What looks like water chestnuts are in fact sliced rice cakes, much to my merriment, because I am big fan of how their texture paired so well with the tofu skin, bitter melon, scallion, black bean,chili oil, and thick bacon slices. The flavor is a great contrast between the comforting, black bean sauce and the hot chili oil. 


On the day that I dined there with my family for my sister's birthday, Danny Bowien was walking around the restaurant quite a bit. He was posing for a photographer from a German travel magazine, as he presented some of his renowned dishes by staging them on a table close to the front of the house, readying for their photo shoot. I'm pretty sure the photographer made him hold a Buddha statue of some sort for effect? Either way, it shows how this "accidental restaurant" is gaining worldwide acclaim. I hope that this will bring some just, gastronomical tourism to San Francisco. 


Location: Lung Shan Restaurant, 2234 Mission Street, San Francisco 
Open 11:30am-3pm/5pm-10:30pm, except Wednesdays

Chinese Food on the Horizon in the Sunset District

Irving Street in the Sunset District of San Francisco is known for its countless Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese restaurants, markets, bakeries. You probably can't go wrong with any one of them, as they all have something good to offer. But as always, it's probably the best idea to check out the place that has a line out the door. 

Such is the case with Lam Hoa Thuan in Outer Sunset. They specialize in both Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, but I come here for the former. It's affordable and incredibly authentic family-style dining.

They have succulent Roast Duck and Pork, both of which are displayed in their window. People line up to both eat in and order out. A good sign indeed. It's $12.99 for a whole roast duck. The roast pork is sold by the pound, at around $3.85 each. Both are excellent, especially when eaten with steamed rice bun, hoisin sauce, and a sprig of green onion.

I usually order the Yang Chow Fried Rice. It's incredibly flavorful and savory as it's filled with peas, barbeque pork, scrambled egg, and scallions. 
($5.95)

The Combination Pan Fried Mein is amazing. It's pan fried noodles topped with a a saucy mixture of barbeque pork, squid, chicken, bean sprouts, and shrimp. In terms of texture and flavor, it's a great combination. Every bite gives you both elements of the crispy and wet noodles. 
($5.95)

The Peking Pork Chop is a succulent dish, as they are lightly breaded spareribs doused in a Peking sauce, which is a sweet and sour glaze. 
($6.95) 

Their Fried Whole Sole Fish in Garlic and Soy Sauce just as the name states. The deep fried fish is showered with scallions as it soaks up the garlic soy sauce. Perfectly fried, you can cut into its lightly breaded, crunchy skin to reveal moist meaty fish.

($8.55)














The end result of this feast is as follows, among four people that is: 

 

Location: 2337 Irving Street at 25th Avenue, San Francisco, CA (Open 7 days a week, 9am-9pm)